Canadian Broadcasting Regulation and the Digital Television Transition Gregory Taylor PhD Dissertation Department of Art History and Communication Studies Faculty of Arts McGill University Montreal, Canada A thesis submitted to McGill University in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy August 10, 2009 ©Gregory Taylor, 2009. 1 Library and Archives Bibliothèque et Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de l’édition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Ottawa ON K1A 0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-66541-1 Our file Notre référence ISBN: 978-0-494-66541-1 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non- L’auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library and permettant à la Bibliothèque et Archives Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par télécommunication ou par l’Internet, prêter, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des thèses partout dans le loan, distribute and sell theses monde, à des fins commerciales ou autres, sur worldwide, for commercial or non- support microforme, papier, électronique et/ou commercial purposes, in microform, autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. 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Abstract This thesis examines the evolution of Canadian broadcasting regulation since the adoption of the 1991 Broadcasting Act with a specific focus on the digital television transition. For Canada, this technological shift exemplifies many of the greater changes in public policy in the last two decades: a faith in market mechanisms, light- touch regulation, co-regulatory approaches, and the powerful influence of new technologies. This dissertation will address the following central question: does the policy surrounding the transition to digital television broadcasting pose a challenge to traditional concerns of the role of broadcasting in Canadian democracy? Utilizing the approach of institutional political economy, this study is informed by primary government and industry documents and interviews conducted with key actors within Canadian broadcasting. This dissertation offers a unique contribution to knowledge in three areas: establishing clear parameters for the differences between policy and regulations in Canadian broadcasting; offering the first comprehensive study of the Canadian digital television transition; and analyzing the growth and impact of self and co-regulation in Canadian broadcasting policy. The results of this study speak to the power dynamics amid the range of actors involved in the Canadian policy process, the influence of new technologies, and the greater prevailing policy directions in broadcasting since the 1991 Broadcasting Act was adopted. Cette thèse examine l’évolution de la réglementation canadienne de la radiodiffusion depuis l’adoption de la Loi sur la radiodiffusion (fédérale) en 1991 en se concentrant plus particulièrement sur la transition à la télévision numérique. Pour le Canada, ce changement de cap est révélateur des grandes modifications que les politiques publiques ont connues dans les deux dernières décennies : une foi dans les mécanismes de marché, une réglementation en pointillé, des approches axées sur la coréglementation et la puissante influence des nouvelles technologies. La question centrale étudiée dans ce mémoire est la suivante : la politique sous-jacente à la transition à la télédiffusion numérique constitue-t-elle un défi en regard des préoccupations traditionnelles afférentes au rôle de la radiodiffusion dans la démocratie canadienne ? Adoptant une approche de économie politique institutionnelle, cette étude se fonde sur l’étude de documents gouvernementaux ou provenant des entreprises privées œuvrant dans le secteur ainsi que sur des entretiens effectués avec certains acteurs clés de la radiodiffusion canadienne. Cette thèse offre une contribution unique au savoir quant à trois aspects : établir des paramètres clairs permettant de différencier les politiques de la réglementation dans le domaine de la radiodiffusion ; offrir la première étude détaillée sur la transition canadienne à la télévision numérique, et présenter une analyse du développement et de l’impact de l’autoréglementation et de la coréglementation dans les politiques canadiennes relatives à la radiodiffusion. Les conclusions de cette étude mettent en lumière les dynamiques de pouvoir existant entre les divers acteurs engagés dans le processus d’élaboration et d’adoption des politiques canadiennes, l’influence des nouvelles technologies et les grandes orientations politiques ayant prévalu dans le domaine de la radiodiffusion depuis l’adoption de la Loi sur la radiodiffusion (fédérale) en 1991. 2 Table of Contents List of Tables 5 List of Acronyms 6 Acknowledgements: 7 Introduction and Literature Review 8 i) Regulation and the Public Interest 13 ii) The New Railway 27 iii) The Matter of Broadcasting 35 iv) Policy vs. Regulations 40 v) Methodology: 43 vi) Chapter Outline 46 Chapter One: The Roots of Broadcasting Regulation and the CRTC: History and Theoretical Foundation 51 1.1 The Roots of Regulation 54 1.2 Regulation and the Nation-State 67 1.3 The CRTC 71 1.4 Arm’s Length: Pay-TV and DTH Satellite 75 1.5 A New Act and the Digital Era 83 Chapter Two: Technology and Neoliberalism 87 2.1 The Chicken/Egg of Technology/Regulation 92 2.2 Explaining the Digital Era 97 2.3 Digital Adaptation and Regulatory Challenges 106 2.4 Technology as Ideology 112 2.5 The Rise of Neoliberalism 115 2.6 Neoliberalism and Canadian Broadcasting Regulation in the Digital Era 125 Conclusion: 130 Chapter Three: Policy Statements - the Digital Television Transition 135 3.1Early Studies: United States and Canada 141 3.2 Pay and Specialty Services 152 3.3 High Definition Television (HD) 160 3.4 Broadcasting Distribution Undertakings (BDUs) 165 3.5 Over-the-Air Broadcasting 173 Conclusion 179 Chapter Four: Regulations – the Digital Television Transition 183 4.1 Pay and Specialty Services 191 4.2 High Definition Television (HD) 202 4.3 Broadcasting Distribution Undertakings (BDUs) 208 4.4 Over-the-Air Broadcasting 215 Conclusion 220 Chapter Five: Self and Co-Regulation and the Digital Television Transition 223 5.1 The Theory of Co-Regulation 230 5.2 Self and Co-Regulation and Canadian Broadcasting Policy 235 3 5.3 Self and Co-Regulation and the Canadian Digital Television Transition 240 5.3.1 Task Force on the Implementation of Digital Television. 241 5.3.2 The Digital Migration Working Group and Digital Code Working Group 245 5.3.3 Canadian DTV Inc (CDTV) 248 Conclusion 251 Chapter Six: Conclusion 257 Reference List 281 4 List of Tables Table 1 International Shut Off Dates…………………..………………………………….106 Table II Adoption and growth / decline rate of various video technologies in Canada....................................................................................................................108 Table III Task Force on the Implementation of Digital Television ……..……………...….243 5 List of Acronyms ASO – Analogue shut off BBG – Board of Broadcast Governors BDU – Broadcast Distribution Undertaking CAB – Canadian Association of Broadcasters CBC – Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBSC – Canadian Broadcast Standards Council CCSA – Canadian Cable Systems Alliance CCTA - Canadian Cable Television Association CDTV – Canadian Digital Television CMR – Communication Monitoring Report CRTC – Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission DOC – Department of Communication FCC – Federal Communication Commission (U.S.) HD and HDTV – High Definition Television ICT – Information and Communication Technology OTA – Over the Air PIAC - Public Interest Advocacy Centre PPV – Pay Per View SD – Standard Definition 6 Acknowledgements: Sincere thanks to Anuradha Gobin, Stephen Pender (U of Windsor), Marc Raboy, Clementine Sallée, Darin Barney, Bram Abramson (McCarthy Tétrault), Jeremy Shtern, Normand Landry, Aysha Mawani, Geneviève Bonin, Claire Roberge, Maureen Coote (McGill), Bob Reaume (Association of Canadian Advertisers), Jane Britten (CRTC), Peter Foster (CRTC), Richard French (Ottawa U), André Bureau and Sophie Émond (Astral Media), Wolfgang Schulz (Hans-Bredow Institute), Stefaan Verhulst, Damian Tambini, Liza Frulla, Michael McEwen, Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la société et la culture, the Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation, Institute for European Studies, Media@McGill And especially my parents, Gregory and Helen Taylor, for love and support. 7 Introduction and Literature